Apparatus for molding



March 25, 1941. H Q SKONING 2,235,906

vAPPARAIUS FOR HOLDING Filed May 7, 1936 Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MOLDING Application May 7, 1936, serial No. 78,419

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for treating plastic materials utilizing the improved method described in copending application Serial No. 340,924 filed June 17, 1940. The novel apparatus comprising the subject matter of the invention is of a special type so designed as to apply heat and pressure in substantially equal intensities on all surfaces of a resin coated or impregnated article or other plastic body so article.

as to modify the physical characteristics of that body.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus for Iapplying heat and pressure for plasticizing, polymerizing or other physicochemically modifying a plastic coated or impregnated body. As will be observed more particularly hereinafter, the apparatus insures the application of dynamically balanced temperature and pressure applied to all exposed surfaces of an article. The apparatus further insures an effective penetration of a. body to be treated with a coating or impregnating material such as factitious plastics, thermosetting and thermo-plastic resinoids and the like. As will be seen hereinafter, the invention insures marked economics in installation and operative cost in that it insures a re-use of the heat and pressure transmitting medium which is employed `to modify the characteristics o-f the articles treated.

In order to enable a more ready comprehension of the fundamental principles of the invention, a preferred type of apparatus is shown. It is to be understood that this is given didactically to show the principles involved and not as the exelusive means by which these principles may be effectuated.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation (with parts shown in section) of the improved apparatus. Figure 2 is an elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

While any suitable type of apparatus may be employed for carrying out my improved method, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an improved apparatus I have designed for the purpose of carrying out my improved method to apply heat and pressure in equal intensities on all exposed surfaces of an Said apparatus includes a sealed high pressure container forming the confined space 22. In the apparatus shown, the container com- 50. prises a large tube provided with the end caps tively high pressures be employed and it is also desirable that one cap 26 be removed from one end thereof so that the articles 20 to be treated therein can be readily inserted and renewed and the container 22 suitably sealed, for these purposes I have provided each cap with a central counter-sink 30 having the internally threaded shoulder 32 on the edge thereof to mesh with threads on the outer periphery of the end of the container 22, each edge of the container 22 preferably being formed into an annular rim 34 to abut against -a suitable packing washer 3ii on the interior of the cap adjacent the threaded surface. I also provide means 38 to support the articles 20 Within the interior of the container 22 spaced from the Walls thereof and in my preferred embodiment said means comprises the shelf 38 suitably mounted -on supports lil attached to the interior of the container 2d. I also provide a normally closed reservoir d2 for storing the immersion liquid 24 of Whatever type used and the vacuum pump 44 for the purposes to be described. In order to remove impurities from the immersion liquid 24 I also provide a fractionating still 46. To give indications of the progress of my improved method Within the container 22, I provide a series of gauges `and attachments therefor, which include the liquid column gauge 48, the thermometer 50, the pressure gauge 52, and the vacuum gauge 54, all provided With suitable connecting valves. I also provide suitable means to connect the sealed container 22 to its various indicating instruments heretofore mentioned and to the vacuum pump it, fractionating still 46, if employed and storage reservoir 42 and I have shown in the drawing an improved type of pipe hook-up for this purpose employing a relatively small number oi pipes which may be successfully used for different purposes and including a minimum number of valves. I provide the storage reservoirs l2 with the inlet pipe 56 provided with the valve et and I provide said storage reservoir with the outlet vpipe 5B provided with the valve 6l therein and the storage reservoir 42 may be suitably charged through the pipe 5B, after opening the valve 5t, With a suitable immersion liquid 2B, comprising when -a synthetic resin is desired to be polymerized therein a suitable hydrocarbon compound of the paraflin lseries or other material varying in accordance with the nature ol the objects to be treated or polymerized. The cap 26 may then be conveniently removed from the container and the articles 20, later to be treated laid on the shelf 38 Within the container, the articles 20 being preferably preformed in shape,

impregnated, coated or otherwise as hereinafter explained of or with suitable plasticizable material prior to being placed in the container 22. The valves of all pipes adjacent the container 22 are rst shut and as explained hitherto the first step in my method may include exhausting the container 22 to a substantial vacuum to remove substantially all fluid therefrom, whether it be in the form of liquid, moisture, gas, or otherwise, which would tend to cause impurities in the molded articles. A pipe 6G connects the upper ends of the sealed container 22 and storage tank l2 and is provided centrally thereof with a pipe 62 leading to the vacuum pump M, and a pipe leading to the upper end of the fractionating still t2. A valve iii is provided in the portion of the pipe 22a between the storage reservoir and the connection of the pipe Gllthereto, and another valve Sl is provided in the portion of the pipe 62 between the storage reservoir d2 and the connection of the pipe iil thereto, the portion of the pipe iii between the vacuum pipe 62 and iractionating still pipe 64 being labeled 60h. A shut oif valve lo is provided in the pipe till. A supplemental pipe l2 also connects the upper ends of the sealed container 22 and storage reservoir i2 and is provided in the portion thereof adjacent the container 22 with the shut on" valve lil therein which may if desired be a safety valve. Another pipe "l5 connects the lower portion of the sealed container 22 with the lower portion of the storage reservoir i2 and is provided with a pipe 'i8 medially thereof, discharging therein from the lower portion of the fractionating still il. A valve 2B is provided in the portion of said pipe 'i621 between the sealed container 22 and pipe l2, a valve 32 is provided in the portion 7Gb of the pipe between the pipe 'i8 and the storage reservoir d2 and a valve 84 is provided in the pipe lil. The vacuum pump ill is provided with a suitable electric motor 135 for driving it and the fractionating still d8 is provided with the usual type of rows of inverted bells lll, the discharge pipe 59 leading to atmosphere having a valve 5l therein and the condensing chamber 53 connected to the top thereof by the pipe 55 and having the cooling coil 5l therein. Shut 01T valves 82 and 87 are provided for the liquid column gauge lill, a shut off valve 88 is provided for the pressure gauge 52 and the vacuum gauge 5t is connected to the container 22 by the pipe S having an atmosphere discharge pipe $2 connected thereto. A valve 96 is connected in the portion of the pipe 9G between the pipe S2 and container 22, a valve 25 is connected in the portion of the pipe 92h between the pipe 92 and vacuum gauge 52 and a valve 96 is provided in the atmosphere pipe 22.

I provide means to operatively connect the sealed container 22 and vacuum pump 44 to eX- haust said container 22 to a substantial vacuum to remove substantially all fluid from said container 22 and articles 2li contained therein, in my preferred embodiment said means comprising the pipe (i2 and pipe portion @Sie and for this purpose the valve 5S is opened and the valves 9i and 95 in the pipe sections 92a and 99h leading to the vacuum gauge 5d opened and the motor "l5 started to cause the vacuum pump i4 to exhaust all fluid from the container 22, the degree of vacuum being indicated by the vacuum gauge Sil. If desired to prevent dilution or pollution of the oil in the vacuum pump, an oil trap or condenser may be inserted in the pipe portion Gila. The vacuum is maintained for 'a sucient period to insure the exhaustion of moisture and vapor present in the articles 2i) as Well as within the container 22 and from the matrix as Well as the plastic material of the articles 20. When the desired vacuum has been attained the pump lill is stopped and the valve Si', in the pipe 90e leading to the vacuum gauge 54 and the valve (it in the pipe portion 60a closed.

Means are then provided to open said storage reservoir d2 to atmospheric pressure which include the valve 58 in the pipe 55 and to operatively connect said reservoir 42 with said exhausted sealed container 22 to permit ow of immersion liquid 24 to substantially ll said sealed container 22. For this purpose the valves 86 and 8l leading to the liquid column gauge 48 are opened to indicate the level of immersion liquid 24 within the sealed container 22, the valves 82 and Bil in the pipe portions 'I6b and 78a of the pipe are opened and the valve B8 leading to the pressure gauge 52 is opened, the valves Sil and 95 in the pipe portions 92a and gilb are closed, the valve 9S in the atmosphere discharge pipe 92 from the container is closed and immersion liquid 212 then ows by gravity and atmospheric pressure entering the reservoir 2, through the then open pipe 'Iii to fill up the scaled container 22. If desired to remove the last traces of gases from the sealed container 22, the valve 66 may be temporarily opened and the vacuum pump lli temporarily started to remove said gases through the pipe portion til@ and pipe 62, and the gauge i3 may then indicate the liquid level in the sealed container 22.

I provide means to apply heat to the immersion liquid 2li within said container 22 to heat said immersion liquid 2t and articles 2i) and by the thermo-expansion of said immersion liquid 24 apply substantially equal amounts of pressure to all exposed surfaces of said articles, said means comprising the electric heating element or means 2S projecting Within the tank, current being supplied thereto by the circuit IUE! provided with the switch i702 therein.

I also provide thermo-statically controlled means to maintain a. set temperature within said sealed container 22, in my preferred embodiment comprising a thermostat |28 within the container suitably connected by the therm-ostatic antenna HB3 to the bellows Htl for automatically opening and closing the switch H2 to alternately make and break the circuit itil to maintain the desired set temperature within the sealed conn tainer 22.

When the sealed container has been filled with the immersion liquid 22 completely immersing the articles 25 therein, the valves 80 and 82 in the pipe portions 76a and lh of the pipe I6 are closed and the valves 86 and 8l leading to the liquid level gauge also closed, the switch m2 is then closed to cause current to pass through the circuit lil to heat the electric heating element i' and the thermostatic control HBS, Hi8, H0, H2 is put into operation. Heat from the heating element 28 heats the immersion liquid 2li in the container 22 and as the temperature thereof rises heat is transmitted to the articles A2li through the immersion liquid 2li and by the thermal expansion of said immersion liquid equal amounts of pressure are applied to all interior and exterior surfaces of said articles to provide a liquid mold which may in some instances temporarily become gaseous, though being confined may stay liquid even above the boiling point ofthe immersion liquid, capable of applying equal amounts of presn sure on the inside and outside of the articles to prevent buckling, compression, or distortion of the articles being treated, this being of extreme importance when a hollow plastic article is being polymerized or molded. The temperature is indicated by the thermometer 50 and it is apparent that the temperature of the liquid can be regulated by proper manipuluation of the thermostatic control means, for the current transmitted to the heater 98 to maintain it constant. The valve Bil leading to the pressure gauge 52 is opened and as the pressure fro-m the immersion liquid within the container 22 rises, it is readily indicated on the pressure gauge 52. The pipe line 12 with its valve 14 therein forms a pressure relief line and valve and pressure for any given temperature of the liquid can be regulated by the manipulation of this valve. If desired the pressure relief valve14 may be made automatic instead of manual as shown. Since liquid pressure in a closed container is exerted with equal intensities in all directions, the liquid acts as a mold or surface plate, the heat and pressure causing plasticization of the plastic material where employed and where a polymerizable synthetic resin is employed causes it first to fuse and then to bond together and to bind all the fibres of the matrix together if employed and to the synthetic resin and the plastic or synthetic resin to its adjacent cellular or other surfaces where a matrix or other base be employed. After a period of time, the mass is solidified into a hard composite, under this heat and pressure, and in the case of laminated material the various laminations lose their identity. When the desired polymerization or plasticization has taken place, the circuit is broken by the switch |02 to turn off the heat from the heating element 98 and the valve 84 in the pipe 18 and valve 80 in the pipe portion 1lia opened, the valve 1t in the pipe section 64 opened, the valves G and 61 in the pipe sections 60a and Eil@ closed, the valve 5| in pipe 49 closed, the valve ,fill in the pipe section 90a opened and the valve 96 in the atmospheric exhaust pipe 92 opened to permit the influx of atmospheric pressure to the top of the .sealed container 22, and th-e electric motor 45 is started to start the vacuum pump 44 to form a partial vacuum in the fractionating still 46, to permit atmospheric pressure admitted to the top of the sealed container to cause a iiow of immersion liquid 24 therefrom to the vacurun still 4E to thus provide meansito operatively connect said sealed container 22 to said fractionating still llt. The valves 84 and 80 in the pipe sections 18 and TS2 are then suitably closed, and the cap 2B may be conveniently removed from the sealed container 22 and the then plasticized or polymerized or otherwise treated articles removed from the sealed container 22.

Means are provided to heat said fractionating `still 45 to distill in partial vacuum the impurities from said immersion liquid, in my preferred embodiment comprising the electrical heating element H4 within said still 46 suitably heated by the electric circuit H5. It is thus obvious that the volatile fractions will be distilled upwards through the bubble plates 41 in the fractionating still 46 and exhausted to atmosphere from a suitable hole in the container 53, the cooling coil 51, however, being so regulated as to condense and return liquid to the fractioning still 46. After the immersion liquid 24 has had its impurities suitably distilled therefrom, as just explained, the valve 84 in the pipe 18 is opened, the valve B2 in pipe por-tion 1lib is opened, the valve 10 in pipe portion 64 is closed, the valve 61 in pipe portion 60c is closed, the valve 58 in inlet pipe 56 toi the reservoir 42 is closed, the valve El in exhaust pipe 59 from the still 46 is opened, and the electric motor 45 started to again start the vacuum pump to exhaust pressure from the storage reservoir 42 to provide means to operatively connect said fractionatin'g still 46 to said storage reservoir 42 and 4to atmosphere and said storage reservoir 42 to said vacuum pump 44 to maintain suflioient vacuum within said storage reservoir 42 to permit by atmospheric pressure flow of purified immersion liquid from said fractionating still 46 to said storage reservoir 42 and the apparatus is ready for its next cycle. i

When an immersion liquid is employed that has the consistency of a solid at room temperature the heating unit I I8 within the reservoir 42 is employed to raise the temperature of the immersion liquid so as to render it in a liquid state prior to starting the cycle.

While I have shown in the drawing a preferred system of pipe and valve connections employing portions of the same pipes for different purposes, it is obvious that if desired entirely independent pipes with appropriate valves for connecting various parts thereof may be provided and that other means than the combination of vacuum and atmospheric pressure shown may be employed to transfer the immersion liquid from one container to another. If desired the vacuum pump may be omitted entirely, in which case its various connecting valves may be suitably changed for other valves and means for this purpose. If desired the fractionating still may be omitted including `its various connecting pipes and their respective valves, or if desired both the fractionating still and vacuum pump with their connecting parts may be omitted, other means being provided for the transfer of liquid to and from the sealed container.

As stated hitherto, by employing my improved apparatus, I am enabled to apply suflicient heat and pressure to mold and plasticize objects of large size or irregular shape in a novel and relatively inexpensive manner and I am enabled to cut down the time formerly thought necessary in applying the heat and pressure for this purpose particularly in the case of synthetic resins and I am enabled to eliminate the expensive cost of dies or molds for molding the articles to be polymerized and to permit the use of synthetic resins and like preferably thermo plastic or thermo setting plastics in instances where the cost `of molds have hitherto been prohibitive, such as in making structural material for buildings or aeroplanes or polymerizing articles of irregular shape without any individual mold or die costs in any quantity from one up, the actual molding cost not varying whether a thousand articles of a single shape or a thousand articles each of different shape be produced.

It will now be apparent that I have provided a noval apparatus for applying heat and pressure in substantially equal intensities to all exposed surfaces of an article to be treated and that the apparatus is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of articles of different designs and shapes which hitherto were difficult or impossible to mold by conventional methods.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specic embodiments sought and that. various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An apparatus for use in applying heat and pressure in equal intensities on all exposed surfaces of an article to provide a smooth even nish on the surface of said article, comprising a sealed high pressure container, a reservoir for storing immersion liquid, a vacuum pump having a suction portion, means to operatively connect said sealed container and said suction portion of said vacuum pump to exhaust said container to a substantial vacuum to remove substantially all fluid from said container and article, means to open said reservoir to atmospheric pressure and to operatively connect said reservoir with said exhausted sealed container to permit by atmospheric pressure flow of immersion liquid to substantially fill said sealed container, means to apply heat to the immersion liquid within said container to heat said immersion liquid and article and by the thermal expansion of said immersion liquid apply substantially equal amounts of pressure to all exposed surfaces of said article, thermostatically controlled means to maintain a set temperature Within said sealed container, means to open said sealed container to atmospheric pressure and to operatively connect said storage reservoir to said suction portion of said vacuum pump to maintain a sufcient vacuum Within said storage reservoir to permit by atmospheric pressure flow of purified immersion liquid from said container to said storage reservoir.

2. An apparatus for use in applying heat and pressure in equal intensities on all exposed surfaces of an article to provide a smooth even finish on the surface of said article, comprising a sealed high pressure container, a reservoir for storing immersion liquid, a vacuum pump having a suction portion, means to operatively connect said sealed container and said suction portion of said vacuum pump to exhaust said container to a substantial vacuum to remove substantially all uid from said container and article, means to open said reservoir to atmospheric pressure and to operatively connect said reservoir with said exhausted sealed container to permit by atmospheric pressure flow of immersion liquid to substantially fill said sealed container, means to apply heat to the immersion liquid Within said container to heat said immersion liquid and article and by the thermal expansion of said immersion liquid apply substantially equal amounts of pressure to all exposed surfaces of said article, means to open said sealed container to atmospheric pressure and to operatively connect said storage reservoir to said suction portion of said vacuum pump to maintain a sufiicient vacuum Within said storage reservoir to permit by atmospheric pressure iloW of puried immersion liquid from said container to said storage reservoir.

JOHN H. S. SKONING. 

